Category: Barre

As the studio reaches it’s one-year anniversary, I want to take the time tor reach out to our members. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have landed, quite “accidentally” in the Stoneham Community. Many of you know that we opened only briefly in Melrose. Moving-out of our newly built studio space abruptly, following significant obstacles when the building was sold within our first 4-months…quite trying to say the least! But now that we have made it to the one-year mark, I feel that it was a lucky accident that brought us to the community.

I love our small corner of the universe, filled with radiant, determined and strong women who come through our doors each day. I can’t begin to express to you what a privilege it is to get to know all of you and be part of not just your journey into Pilates fitness, but sometimes into intangible emotional and psychological shifts that happen when you commit to your health through a regular mind-body practice. I am awed by your passion and commitment to make important changes, even when they aren’t easy. It’s inspiring to see clients find new joy through movement and through reconnecting with the body. I often have the privilege of seeing our membership and class community learning to let go of the judgments they carry about their bodies, shifting toward a kinder and more sparkling view of themselves to embrace exactly where they are in that moment. As a teacher, I often think that’s where the magic happens and transformation begins.

And just so you know, I have journeyed with you in my personal challenges…and physical ones too…but what fuels my own determination to keep going is the energy that you bring each and every day. It’s through that very energy th

at we continue to reinvent ourselves, writing and re-writing our own personal stories.

With gratitude we enter our second-year in the Stoneham Community. Our commitment, as always, will be to support, celebrate and continue challenge you. Your potential is truly limitless. “The Body Achieves What the Mind Believes” ~ Annonymous

As a thank you to our members and to celebrate our One-Year Anniversary we will offer Free Teaser Tuesday Classes on the following Tuesdays:
Tuesday, June 12th
9 am Reformer; 5 pm Reformer for Absolute Beginners
Tuesday, June 19th – refreshments will be available after all classes and evening cocktail after pm classes
6:30 am Reformer
7 pm Jumpboard – light snacks will be offered and glass of bubbly following Tuesday evening classes

Pilates Barre Fusion, the Perfect Pairing

Clients often question the rationale behind fusing Barre and Pilates workouts. Often clients will say they want to “just do Pilates” as they are not sure they see the benefit of doing both. Many people feel that barre is strictly for ballet-trained dancers. We have attempted to answer the question about why Pilates Barre Fusion makes the perfect pairing.

Both Pilates and Barre workouts keep to the same basic structure of form, breathe and healthy alignment. Like Pilates, barre work emphasizes micro-movements that train slow-twitch muscle fiber. Training slow-twitch muscle fiber through exercises that feature sustained isometric contractions with little-to-no joint movement, keep the slow-twitch muscle fibers under contraction for an extended period of time. This can help improve their ability to utilize oxygen to produce energy. Examples include the front plank, the side plank and the single-leg balance. Slow twitch muscle fibers are smaller, generate less force and have a smaller growth potential than the fast twitch muscle fibers. However, these fibers are extremely resistant to fatigue. Slow-twitch muscle fibers use oxygen to

help create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the chemical that actually fuels muscle contractions. The more slow twitch muscle fibers you build, the more fat you burn and the more long, lean muscle tone you see. Movements or exercises that require muscular endurance use more slow twitch fibers than fast.

Workouts at the barre focus on pelvic positioning, core strength, stability, balance and flexibility. Movements performed are often shifted from one side of the body to the other. Isometric movement to stabilize the body while performing a barre exercise help strengthen the body. For example, often the “standing leg” at the barre works twice as hard as the leg in the air. Arabesque and leg lifts are a perfect example of the standing leg emphasis while performing the movement. Balance is achieved by lifting away from the floor and pulling up in the standing leg, while the core muscles help stabilize the pelvis.

Barre is terrific cross-training for Pilates Reformer as it translates many of the exercises and shifts them to a standing position…and can be likened to a standing Pilates-type workout, although not entirely. Combination workouts are a great way to continually challenge the body for maximum results. Want to try a Reformer Barre Fusion class, or Jumpboard with Mixed Pilates Mat? Sign up available online.